Surat: Two men died in separate areas of Ankleshwar town in Bharuch on Sunday morning in suspected cases of drug overdose, with police awaiting forensic reports to establish the exact cause of death. Both men were found dead in different police station jurisdictions, while preliminary postmortem findings suggested cardiac arrest.The deceased were identified as Famran Ali (24) and Rahul Singh (26), both residents of Jitali area of Ankleshwar. Police said they were yet to ascertain what substance the two may have consumed.Deputy superintendent of police Kushal Oza told TOI that Ali’s body was found in the Ankleshwar Rural police station area, while Singh was found in the Ankleshwar GIDC police station area. The bodies were taken to the community health centre at Gadkhol for postmortem.“Primary postmortem suggested that they had died due to cardiac arrest. We are waiting for the final report. We have also taken viscera samples and sent them for forensic probe to know the exact cause of death,” Oza said.Police sources said the two men may have allegedly consumed some form of drug to relieve stress. Sources also claimed that a third person had taken the substance along with them, but police were yet to trace him. Investigators suspect that the third person, if located, could provide crucial information about the substance consumed. It is not clear if the deceased injected themselves with the substance or consumed it orally, said police.Police are also probing whether the substance was consumed for recreational purposes or as a painkiller.Meanwhile, rumours had surfaced that the deaths were linked to consumption of spurious liquor. Police, however, ruled out the possibility.“There is no hooch or spurious liquor involved in the incident. Both cases are different and the two persons live in different localities of the same village. We are yet to investigate if the deceased knew each other,” Oza said.Both Ali and Singh were working as labourers in Ankleshwar, police said. Investigators are now awaiting the forensic examination of the viscera samples to determine whether drugs or any other substance caused the deaths.Bharuch SP Akshay Raj Makwana did not respond to calls from TOI seeking comment.
